Howard slams ‘intellectually dishonest’ move to rename Canberra building

John Howard has criticised the move to strip a government building in Canberra of its name that references the First Fleet as a ‘juvenile piece of anti-colonialism’.

Former prime minister John Howard has criticised the move to strip a federal government building in Canberra of its name because of its associations with the First Fleet. Picture: Jane Dempster

John Howard has criticised the move to strip a federal government building in Canberra of its name because of its associations with the First Fleet as “intellectually dishonest” and a “juvenile piece of anti-colonialism”.

The former prime minister said the decision to rename the Sirius Building, which serves as the headquarters of the Department of Health and Aged Care, was “pointless petulance”, arguing that the nation should adopt a more “mature approach” to Australian history.

Mr Howard rejected suggestions the name – which pays tribute to the flagship of the First Fleet that ferried the first British colonialists to Botany Bay in 1788 – was offensive, branding the increasing reluctance to acknowledge the past as “dangerous”.

“It’s intellectually dishonest, it’s historically flawed and it shows a dangerous unwillingness to recognise the truth of what has gone before,” he said.

The Sirius at the entrance to Port Jackson on January 26, 1788, in a paitning by First Fleet purser John Palmer.

Mr Howard said being settled by the British rather than an “inferior” European power was one of the “best things” to ever happen to Australia, while acknowledging there had been “plenty of flaws”.

“I mean, we were settled as a British colony, and I have always taken the view that one of the best things that’s ever happened to this country is that it was settled by the British,” he said.

“Because although British colonialism had plenty of flaws, it was infinitely superior to the colonialism of other European countries in the 18th century.

“It was inevitable that the landmass of Australia would be colonised by European power.

“And we’re very lucky it was the British and not some of the others whose colonial regimes were far inferior to those with the British.”

Mr Howard said he was sceptical that the majority of Australians were offended by names with colonial affiliations, remarking that the public were more likely to complain to him about a name change.

“Why bother? It’s just pointless,” the former prime minister said.

“And the explanation given is, it offends people; I’m not sure it offends as many people as some people said.

“But maybe in that part of Australia they’re very tender, but I don’t find it something people complain about to me every day, as I move around in Sydney.

“I don’t find people objecting, I find when well-known landmarks are renamed that people object to the renaming.

“But I am yet to find anyone who says ‘I don’t like that word because of its colonial affiliation’.”

The Sirius Building in Woden Town Centre, Canberra.

The purpose-built ship-shaped headquarters in Woden was constructed during Mr Howard’s time in office and completed in 2010.

The department is giving staff at the Sirius Building a vote on what the new name should be.

Opposition public service spokeswoman Jane Hume said the saga was proof the government was “focused on the wrong priorities”, questioning whether the name change would bring about better health outcomes.

“It is beyond outrageous that the Department of Health thinks its resources are better spent changing the name of a building than doing the job taxpayers pay them to do,” she said.